Apparatus for deforming molded battery case

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for modifying the between the ribs space in a thermal plastic battery container is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a heated non-circular wiping member which when rotated about a fixed centerline defines a first circumference having a diameter substantially equal in length to the minimum between the ribs space and a second concentric circumference having a diameter greater in length than the first diameter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention disclosed is useful in the manufacture of starting,lighting, and ignition storage batteries such as frequently found inautomotive and recreational vehicles.

2. PRIOR ART

In the storage battery industry, there has frequently been recognizedthe need for a universal battery container having standard outsidedimensions and internal flexibility which would permit varyingelectrical capacity. The industry in the past has met the need forvarying electrical capacity by altering the number of negative andpositive plates which are used to make up the elements of each cell ofthe battery. The number of cells which a particular battery containerhas is then cell multiple of the nominal voltage of the elements. Withina given battery size, there are a variety of electrical capacitiesavailable. In the higher capacity batteries the number of battery plateswhich make up the elements are greater per element. Conversely, thenumber of battery plates in element for a smaller capacity battery isless. Since the external dimensions of the batteries within a particularsize class is standard within the industry, the battery manufacturermust adjust the cell area to receive either the thicker battery elementscontaining a larger number of plates or the thinner elements containingthe lesser number of plates.

In the past this has been achieved in two ways. The first approach wasto mold individual containers having different cell areas. The cellareas were modified by increasing or decreasing the size of a pluralityof ribs disposed along the walls defining the cell. In this way a largerrib would be used for the smaller battery element and a smaller ribwould permit accommodate of a larger battery element. A second approachwas to add additional spacer members between the battery plates of agiven element so that an element having lesser plates would be filled orexpanded by the use of separators as sham plates.

A more recent development has been the use of a single battery containerwithin a size classification which is modified to accommodate largerelements. The universal battery container has ribs which are molded toaccommodate the smallest or thinnest element within a sizeclassification. When it is desired to use the battery container for abattery having a larger electrical capacity and therefore thickerbattery elements the ribs of the battery container are trimmed with amechanical device to remove a portion of the rib and therefore open thevolume of the cell. This technique while in advance over the prior arttechnique of using additional separators, still presents the problem ofsophisticated mechanical equipment necessary to perform the trimming andthe associated problem of removing the trimmings from the batterycontainer.

The instant invention seeks to solve the problem of a universal batterycontainer as well as the problems associated with trimming and scrapremoval by providing an apparatus for thermally modifying the betweenthe rib space in the cell. The apparatus may be used to modify thebetween the rib space in a single operation and does not require theremoval of scrap from the battery container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disclosed invention is an apparatus for modifying the between theribs space in a thermal plastic battery container which has been moldedwith a minimum between the ribs space. The apparatus comprises a heatednon-circular wiping member which when rotated about a fixed centerlinedefines a first circumference having a diameter substantially equal inlength to the minimum between the ribs space and a second concentriccircumference having a diameter greater in length than the firstdiameter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to the instantinvention as it is disposed over a battery case prior to ribmodification.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one cell of the battery case with theapparatus of the instant invention in a downward traveling stroke.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken through FIG. 2 at the line 3--3,showing the orientation of the instant apparatus within the batterycase.

FIG. 4 is an isolated sectional view of the rib modification accordingto the instant invention.

FIG. 5 shows a universal rib modification apparatus according to theinstant invention.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of an alternative embodiment for drivingthe apparatus as is shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described in detailwith reference to the attached figures, wherein like numerals indicatelike elements in all views.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a battery container 2 whoseexternal dimensions are defined by the side walls 4 and theperpendicular walls 6. Battery container 2, as illustrated, is a twelvevolt battery case which will be familiar to those in the art. Theinterior of the battery container 2 has a plurality of paralleldividers, which are parallel to the perpendicular wall 6. The dividersdivide the interior of the battery container 2 into 6 cells, as will beknown in the art. The base 12 of the battery container 2 is illustratedas being flat or planar. However, variations in this base will be knownto those in the art. Within each of the cells 10 there are a pluralityof parallel ribs 14 which extend from an inner connecting bridge 16. Theinner connecting bridge 16 is molded directly on base 12. The height ofthe ribs 14 from the bridge 16 will be determined by the height of thecell elements which are to be placed therein, as will be known in theart the height of the rib 14 may be varied. The between the ribs width"w" in the illustrated battery case is such that the smallest number ofbattery or the thinnest elements will fit snugly within the space "w".It is the enlargement of this space "w" or the "between the rib" spacewhich is the ultimate goal of the instant invention. In a battery whichis to have a larger number of battery plates or thicker element the ribs14 are spaced to increase the between the space "w".

Also shown in FIG. 1 is the apparatus 20 which is one embodiment of theinvention which has been especially designed to simultaneously modifythe between the rib space in the six cells of a six cell twelve voltbattery. The rib modification apparatus 20 generally comprises atemplate 22 in which there are positioned a plurality of apertures (notshown) through which a wiping member may be positioned. The template 22is mounted by means of connecting rods 24 in a press or other similardevice which permits the vertical movement of the entire apparatus 20.Adjacent template 22 there is a platform 26 on which there is mounted adrive cylinder 28. Drive cylinder 28 may be either hydraulic, pneumatic,or mechanical and is used to move the rack gear 30 reciprocally acrosstemplate 22. Adjacent the rack gear 30 are a plurality of inner engaginggears 32. Note that the gears 32 upon movement of the rack 30 rotate inopposite directions on parallel sides of the rack 30.

Rib modification apparatus 20 has a plurality of wiping members 40, i.e.one wiping member 40 for each set of parallel ribs 14. The wipingmembers 40 are aligned in parallel rows which correspond to the celllocations of the ribs 14. Each of the wiping members 40 has a centerline 42 and a cam portion 44 disposed on either side of the center line42.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown one wiping member 40 as it isentering a cell 10 between the ribs 14. The wiping member 40 isdimensioned such that its width at center line 42 is substantially thewidth of the between the rib space "w" for the thinnest battery elementwhich is to be placed in the cell. As the wiping member 40 enters thecell the first cam portion 44 is disposed on one side of the parallelrib 14 and the second cam portion 46 is disposed on the other side ofthe second parallel rib 14. The wiping member 40 is moved verticallyinto the cell until the lower portion 48 thereof is in contact with thebridge 16.

Wiping member 40 is heated, as will be explained more fully herein withreference to FIG. 5, and will effect melting of the thermal plasticmaterial of which the ribs 14 and the bridge 16 are molded thereof.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the wiping members 40 have fully entered thecell 10. Due to the movement of rack gear 30, the wiping members 40 arerotated as shown in FIG. 3. The rotation of the cam lobes 44 and 46bring the heated lobe into contact with the thermal plastic material andcause a melting deformation of that material. The deformation is shownin a sectional fragmentary view in FIG. 4. Note from FIG. 4 that the camportions 44 and 46 need not be moved through their entire duration. Bymoving the cam portions 44 and 46 through a limited portion of theirduration, it is possible to control the wiping action of the camportions. Should it be desired to open the between the rib space "w" toits maximum, the cam portions may be rotated a full 180° whereby theribs would be deformed to the maximum width of a cam lobe.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown a universal wiping member 40'.The wiping member 40' is substantially identical to the wiping member40, however, in this embodiment there has been no effort to shape orconfigure cam lobes on the wiping member. Wiping member 40 has agenerally oval configuration wherein the width or minor axis of the ovalabout the center line 42' is as previously described for the wipingmember 40. However, the lobe portions do not incorporate the incrementalshaping of the cam lobes 44 and 46. The major axis of the oval issubstantially equal to the maximum desired between the ribs space,therefore, the wiping member 40' would be most use in an operation wherethe ribs 14 are to be open to maximum width. The wiping member 40' ofFIG. 5 does show the connecting post 38 which is placed in the aperturethrough template 22 and is secured to gear 32. Connecting post 38 may beconnected to gear 32 via a compression fit, a woodrift key, or any knownmeans. Through the center of wiping member 40' there is shown the heatcartridge which is used to heat the wiping members 40 and 40'. In thepreferred embodiment heat cartridge 50 is a Watlow Firerod which will beknown to those in the art and is available from Watlow 12001 LacklandRoad, St. Louis, MO 63141. The cartridge is inserted through alongitudinal bore 52 in wiping member 40 or 40'. The heat cartridge 50is connected to an electrical energy source by means of the lead wires54 which exit through a connecting aperture 56. A recess 58 is formed inthe area of aperture 56 of the wiping member 40 or 40'. A thermocouple60 is located in recess 58 and the lead wires 62 are connected to amonotoring apparatus. Thermocouple 60 is a commercial thermocouple whichis also available from Watlow.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown an alternative embodiment of thedrive means for the rib modifying apparatus 20. In the alternativeembodiment the lead screw 70 is provided to drive the gears 32. The leadscrew 70 may be driven by a printed circuit motor, not shown, which willbe known to those in the art. The advantage of a printed circuit motoris that the amount of rotation of a lead screw 70 may be closelycontrolled through the use of the printed circuit motor.

Alternatively a wiping member could be mounted in a press or the likefor individually modifying the between the ribs space for individualcells.

Having fully disclosed our invention, it is realized that variations maybe made without departing from the spirit of our invention or the scopeof the claims amended hereto.

We claim:
 1. An apparatus for modifying the between the ribs space of athermal plastic battery container, said apparatus comprising:a wipingmember for modifying said ribs, said wiping member having a non-circularouter surface; means for positioning said wiping member within saidbattery container; heating means for heating said wiping member to atemperature sufficient for softening said thermal plastic; and means forrotating said wiping member.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidwiping member has a longitudinal bore for receiving said heating means.3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein, said heating means is a heatcartridge.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said apparatus furthercomprises:sensor means for detecting the temperature of said wipingmember.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said sensor means is athermocouple.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said wiping member hasa generally oval configuration, the minor axis of said ovalconfiguration having a length no greater than the minimum between theribs space.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said oval configurationhas a major axis having a length substantially equal to the maximumbetween the ribs space.
 8. An apparatus for modifying the between theribs space of a battery container, said container having at least twoopposed walls defining in part a cell compartment and a plurality ofribs extending outwardly from said walls in a paired opposedrelationship, said apparatus comprising:a frame, a plurality of wipingmembers, at least equal in number to said paired opposed ribs in saidcell compartment, each of said wiping members having a non-circularouter configuration, mounted on said frame; means for verticallypositioning said frame such that said plurality of wiping members aredisposed between said opposed ribs; heating means for heating saidwiping members to a temperature sufficient for softening said ribs; andmeans for rotating said wiping members for modifying the between theribs space.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each of said wipermembers has a generally oval configuration, the minor axis of said ovalconfiguration having a length no greater than the minimum between therib space.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said oval configurationhas a major axis having a length substantially equal to the maximumbetween the rib space.
 11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each of saidwiping members has a longitudinal base for receiving said heating means.12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said heating means is a heatcartridge.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said apparatus furthercomprises a sensor for detecting the temperature of said wiping member.14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said sensor is a thermocouple.